Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.18045/zbefri.2017.2.487
ICTs and innovation for competitiveness: Evidence for Western Balkans vis-à-vis the European Union
Olivera Kostoska
orcid.org/0000-0002-4794-635X
; “St. Kliment Ohridski” University – Bitola, Faculty of Economics, Prilep, Macedonia
Ilija Hristoski
; “St. Kliment Ohridski” University – Bitola, Faculty of Economics, Prilep, Macedonia
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to evaluate how well-prepared the Western Balkans
(Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) are to join the EU in terms of
competitiveness and to clearly identify the set of EU countries that would represent
a ‘real benchmark’ when trying to assess the region’s competitiveness. In 2010, the
Europe 2020 strategy was proposed as a means of focusing the EU and its Member
States on the main task of improving competitiveness and creating conditions for
smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. As candidate countries for EU
membership, Western Balkans are expected to act in accordance with these goals.
Hence, this paper implements the Global Competitiveness Index 2015-2016 and a
set of supplemental data analysis tools to assess both the level of competitiveness
and the region’s relative position vis-à-vis the EU member states. The results
clearly show that the EU is far from a homogenous entity in terms of
competitiveness, whilst the candidates expose a competitiveness profile similar to
that of Central and Eastern Europe. Overall, the Western Balkans trail behind the
EU-28 countries in building a knowledge-intensive economy and are significantly
outdistanced in laying the foundations for ‘smart growth’, as the European
economies press ahead.
Keywords
GCI; ICTs; innovation; Western Balkans; EU
Hrčak ID:
191399
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2017.
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